The Flail from Heaven (Grimm)
Division into chapters is editorial.
The growing horns and the turnip seed bargain
A countryman set out one day to plough his field with a pair of oxen. However, when he arrived at the field, something extraordinary happened.
When he got to the field, both the animals' horns began to grow, and went on growing, and when he wanted to go home they were so big that the oxen could not get through the gateway
The countryman found himself in a predicament with his oxen trapped by their enormous horns.
Fortunately, a butcher happened to pass by at that moment, and the countryman made a deal with him.
The agreement was remarkable in its terms.
he should take the butcher a measure of turnip-seed, and then the butcher was to count him out a Brabant thaler for every seed. I call that well sold!
The peasant was pleased with this profitable arrangement.
The heavenly tree and the climb to the sky
The countryman went home and prepared to carry the measure of turnip seed to the butcher on his back. However, during his journey, he accidentally lost one seed from the bag. The butcher paid him fairly as they had agreed, though the peasant would have received one more thaler if he had not lost that single seed. Something miraculous occurred with the dropped seed.
In the meantime, when he went on his way back, the seed had grown into a tree which reached up to the sky.
When the peasant discovered this extraordinary tree, he saw an opportunity for a unique adventure.
As thou hast the chance, thou must just see what the angels are doing up there above, and for once have them before thine eyes.
Driven by curiosity, the countryman decided to climb the miraculous tree to see what lay in the heavens above.
Angels threshing oats and the escape plan
The peasant successfully climbed up the enormous tree and reached heaven itself.
So he climbed up, and saw that the angels above were threshing oats, and he looked on.
The countryman watched the heavenly beings at their work with fascination.
While he was observing the angels at their work, the peasant noticed something alarming happening below. The tree on which he was standing began to totter and sway. When he peered down, he saw that someone was cutting down the tree. Realizing the danger of his situation, the peasant knew he would face a terrible fall if he did not act quickly. In his desperation, he looked around for a solution and found one among the materials the angels had been using.
If I were to fall down from hence it would be a bad thing, thought he, and in his necessity he did not know how to save himself better than by taking the chaff of the oats
The resourceful peasant twisted the chaff into a rope that could support his weight. He also gathered some tools that were lying about in heaven.
He likewise snatched a hoe and a flail which were lying about in heaven, and let himself down by the rope.
The peasant successfully descended from heaven using his improvised rope, but his landing was not ideal. He came down exactly in the middle of a deep, deep hole in the earth.
The descent and proof of the adventure
Finding himself trapped in the deep hole, the peasant realized how fortunate he had been to bring the hoe from heaven.
So it was a real piece of luck that he had brought the hoe, for he hoed himself a flight of steps with it, and mounted up
Using the hoe, the peasant carved steps into the walls of the deep hole and climbed out to safety. However, he was mindful of the importance of having evidence of his incredible journey. The flail he had taken from heaven would serve a crucial purpose.
took the flail with him as a token of his truth, so that no one could have any doubt of his story.
With the heavenly flail as proof, the peasant could convince anyone of the truth of his remarkable adventure to heaven.